Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Biological Control of Emerald Ash Borer, 7827 [2015-02914]

Download as PDF 7827 Notices Federal Register Vol. 80, No. 29 Thursday, February 12, 2015 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are examples of documents appearing in this section. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2014–0094] Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Biological Control of Emerald Ash Borer Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments. AGENCY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a draft environmental assessment relative to the control of emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis. The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the field release of a parasitic wasp, Spathius galinae, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of emerald ash borer infestations. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 16, 2015. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0094. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2014–0094, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at https:// www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0094 or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1141 of the USDA South Rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 13:54 Feb 11, 2015 Jkt 235001 Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 799–7039 before coming. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. ´ Shirley Wager-Page, Assistant Director, Pest Permitting Branch, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; (301) 851–2323. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, is an invasive wood-boring beetle from Asia threatening the ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in the United States. EAB larvae feed on ash phloem, cutting off the movement of resources within the tree and killing the tree in 4– 5 years. EAB is able to attack and kill healthy trees in both natural and urban environments and is well suited for climate conditions in the continental United States. As a result, EAB infestations have been detected in 24 states: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the field release of a parasitic wasp, Spathius galinae, into the continental United States to reduce the severity of EAB infestations. APHIS’ review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in detail in a draft environmental assessment (EA) entitled ‘‘Field Release of the Parasitoid Spathius galinae for the Biological Control of the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) in the Continental United States’’ (January 2014). We are making the EA available to the public for review and comment. We will consider all comments that we receive on or before the date listed under the heading DATES at the beginning of this notice. The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may request paper copies of the draft EA by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the EA when requesting copies. The EA has been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); (2) regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508); (3) USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b); and (4) APHIS’ NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372). Done in Washington, DC, this 6th day of February 2015. Kevin Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2015–02914 Filed 2–11–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE National Agricultural Statistics Service Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Revise and Extend a Currently Approved Information Collection National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to request revision and extension of a currently approved information collection, the Agricultural Resources Management Survey and Chemical Use Surveys. A revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of the target population, sampling design, and/or questionnaire length. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 13, 2015 to be assured of consideration. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535–0218, by any of the following methods: • Email: ombofficer@nass.usda.gov. Include docket number above in the subject line of the message. • eFax: (855) 838–6382. • Mail: Mail any paper, disk, or CD– ROM submissions to: David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\12FEN1.SGM 12FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 7827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02914]


========================================================================
Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 29 / Thursday, February 12, 2015 / 
Notices

[[Page 7827]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2014-0094]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Biological 
Control of Emerald Ash Borer

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared a draft environmental assessment 
relative to the control of emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis. The 
environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, 
the field release of a parasitic wasp, Spathius galinae, into the 
continental United States for use as a biological control agent to 
reduce the severity of emerald ash borer infestations. We are making 
the environmental assessment available to the public for review and 
comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
16, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0094.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2014-0094, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-
0094 or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, 
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, 
please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Shirley Wager-Pag[eacute], 
Assistant Director, Pest Permitting Branch, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2323.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus 
planipennis, is an invasive wood-boring beetle from Asia threatening 
the ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in the United States. EAB larvae feed on 
ash phloem, cutting off the movement of resources within the tree and 
killing the tree in 4-5 years. EAB is able to attack and kill healthy 
trees in both natural and urban environments and is well suited for 
climate conditions in the continental United States. As a result, EAB 
infestations have been detected in 24 states: Arkansas, Colorado, 
Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, 
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, 
New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, 
Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the field 
release of a parasitic wasp, Spathius galinae, into the continental 
United States to reduce the severity of EAB infestations.
    APHIS' review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in 
detail in a draft environmental assessment (EA) entitled ``Field 
Release of the Parasitoid Spathius galinae for the Biological Control 
of the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) in the Continental 
United States'' (January 2014). We are making the EA available to the 
public for review and comment. We will consider all comments that we 
receive on or before the date listed under the heading DATES at the 
beginning of this notice.
    The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our 
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and 
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may 
request paper copies of the draft EA by calling or writing to the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to 
the title of the EA when requesting copies.
    The EA has been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.); (2) regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for 
implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508); (3) USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b); and (4) 
APHIS' NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 6th day of February 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-02914 Filed 2-11-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

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